Morning journal and courier., 1887-01-01

cal sense, ambition, application and ever stern necessity, are total or comparative fail ures. This is true not only of those who study in America, but of those who study 1T 1 foreign countries. The truth is there are l but few who know understand the human voice. As rule the voices of little children are right, or in a natural condition, while the voices of untrained adults are wrong, or in an unnatural condition. It is great mis- take to suppose that right voice culture is an artificial process, in the sense of which the word artificial is generally accepted. No doubt much of that which is called voice culture is, for it results in affeetation and mannerisms. A right system of voice train ing simply restores the voice to it's first or normal condition by eliminating all defects. :"
 q should imagine that the human voice was not easy to train"
 "The human voice is the most difficult of all instruments to understand, hence it is the most difficult to correctly play upon. There is another great reason which accounts for the fact that while there are many good pianists there are so few good singers. Most parents, in the study of the pianoforte, rec ognize the importance of having their chil- dren commence at early age in order to acquire that flexible action necessary for the complete mastery of the keyboard. Years are thus spent in the study of the piano forte. On the other hand, for some unac- countable reason, the idea prevails with the majority of people that a year or two is suf- fcient to make singers, and that too after they have grown up and gone all astray, so far as the correct use of the voice is con- cerned. The way to become great singers is to begin by training the child voice. The child voice is nearer right; it is more flexible, more pliable, more musical"
 DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME.
 "What are the chief difficulties you meet t~aiT fo cir ErryI oh
 ''The greatest difficulties to be overcome in the English singing voice are the conso- nants. They should never be sustained or prolonged in song, is often heard, but should always be spoken with quick, Aexi- ble movement of the articulating organs and without interfering with the vowel form or the sound of the word. A consonantal sound is the result of an interruption of the air current, and sudden explosion whereby a raise is produced is called consonantal sound"
 Mme Clara Brenkerhoff says: 'sThe vii brations aroused by the singing voice pass through the entire form of the singer, com municating to the floor where one stands, as an electric current seeks the ground. This is an undeniable fact, for I have sung several times for deaf mutes who were standing. They expressed their pleasure at hearing me sing. When we questioned them to explain we found that they had received the vibra- tions through the soles of their feet from the vibrations conveyed by me to the floor while singing, also standing, testifying to the fact that it is the whole vibrating body which is the singing instrument, not the throat alone. The human tissue has subtle force and is as vibrant drum head"
 "Do people ever study music for the pur- pose of strengthening the lungs by the in- creased exercise2''
 "Oh, yes; physicians are recommending such practice every day. A great many peo- pie study for weak lungs and weak throats. The proper system of breathing is so simple and progresses in such easy stages that it de velops the lungs to their full capacity with out the least strain, and always with bene- ficial result n